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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25118002">Wrong Foot</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starting_Stroke_of_the_Pen/pseuds/Starting_Stroke_of_the_Pen'>Starting_Stroke_of_the_Pen</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Greatest Showman (2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Circus fam, Fluff, Gen, Injury, TGSBingo, Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:40:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,409</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25118002</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starting_Stroke_of_the_Pen/pseuds/Starting_Stroke_of_the_Pen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>For  #TGSBingo on The Other Side Discord</p><p>He steps with his left foot rather than the right as he turns, doesn't even think about it. Dancing always comes so naturally. It's when he hears a crack that he knows it's a mistake.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>P. T. Barnum/Phillip Carlyle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>69</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>TGS Bingo</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wrong Foot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey hey! I haven't written fic in forever and I know I have WIPS but I saw this fun prompt bingo game and couldn't resist. So have a random little unedited quick fic!<br/>Hope quarantine is going alright for everyone. Stay safe &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“AND THE INCREDIBLE, DEATH DEFYING, FIRE JUGGLERS!”</p><p>Phineas watches breathlessly as the audience clap ferociously and roar with excitement, the acts around him weaving in and out of each other around the ring. His body feels light with the adrenalin of performing. Hundreds of pairs of eyes watching him. This is what he lives for. The music, the laughter, the cheers.</p><p>Lettie twists by him as she sings, teasingly grabbing his hat from his head as she does and clonking it down on her own with a mischievous smile as she moves over to dance with Constantine. It earns a laugh from the audience and Phineas’ frustrated pout over it is entirely for show. </p><p>He hops down from his podium center stage as the elephant parade slowly plod in around the ring, briefly making eye contact with Phillip off at the side lines and flashing him a toothy grin. The younger man only laughs as he leans against the wooden beam of the stands to watch the show unfold in all it’s ridiculous glory.</p><p>“THINK YOU’VE SEEN IT ALL? THINK AGAIN! HERE COME THE WORLD FAMOUS, ONE OF A KIND, SINGING WOLF MA-“</p><p>It happens as he turns in dance, putting his left foot first when he’s supposed to put his right. An unconscious movement he hadn’t even thought about, dance has always come so naturally. It throws off his twist and he hears a sickening crack, then falls, knees hitting the sawdust as a violently sharp pain shoots through his ankle. </p><p>Laughter erupts from the crowd and Charles jogs over with a smug grin. </p><p>“Is dirt a delicacy to snobs? Cuz you just ate it hard.” The small man snorts in sheer delight. </p><p>After a moment to process what happened, Phineas chuckles and grabs some sawdust in his hand to throw at the man, who laughs even harder as he dodges it and hurries away. He shifts to try and stand, though the pain shoots through him again and he chokes out a low note as he stumbles. With some effort he makes it to his feet, heavily leaning to one side, unable to put any weight on the pained ankle. He grimaces.</p><p>“You alright, Honey?”</p><p>The familiar voice of Lettie makes him glance around as she appears behind him to drop his hat back in his head. He forces a smile despite the stabbing pain that threatens to make his eyes water. </p><p>“Perfectly fine.” He grits out. “Just a bit of wrong footing.”</p><p>She says no more and merely ghosts her hand across his back as she weaves away again leaving him to fend for himself.  He can’t move, can’t dance, it hurts like the devil. If he tries to put any weight on it, he’ll fall. He sings in stilted tones as the pain catches his breath. He holds it together and pushes on with a showmans grin. The show must go on.</p><p>--</p><p>Never in his life has Phineas felt a show go on for this long. Several more acts introduced, several dance numbers he manages to stay motionless throughout without getting trampled. His eyes lose focus a few times when he’s forced to step to one side or another, pain agonising as he struggles to stay standing. Tears are stinging the corners of his eyes, desperate to be released. </p><p>When the final note is sung and the audience cheer, he near collapses. </p><p>It’s Phillip who jogs over halfway through the applause and put a discrete hand on his lower back. Brows furrowed in concern. “You’re hurt.”</p><p>Phineas doesn’t break his smile as he bows and gestures to different acts to silently instruct them to leave the ring in order.  “Stepped funny. Can’t walk.” He mutters almost casually, a little hushed to stop his voice being heard by passers-by. “Mind covering the goodbyes for me?”</p><p>It’s more an instruction than a favour, but Phillip nods regardless and hands the elder man his cane. “The one day you forget this and it’s the one you actually need it.” He teases softly. “But seriously, you gonna be alright?”</p><p>Phineas makes a sound of sarcastic dismissal as he takes the cane to lean on, appreciating its support. He nudges Phillip with his shoulder with a snort. “I’ll be fine as long as you tell no-one about this.”</p><p>“You’ll have to bribe me later.” The younger remarks smugly as he jogs off to lead the audience towards the exits.</p><p>Phineas snorts softly and rolls his eyes as he hobbles off to the side-lines, sincerely glad that the troupe was too busy chatting among themselves to notice his crippled shuffle. The stairs to the office look like a strenuous task so instead he moves swiftly as possible to the elephant stables and immediately flops down on a pile of hay bales, groaning as the weight is finally taken off his feet. </p><p>As the adrenalin wears off, exhaustion washes over him and the sharp pain bores into his bones. He finds the energy after a moment to sit up and unlace his boot, pulling it off to take a look. He winces, breath catching in his throat at the sight of his purple ankle, swollen and bent at a slightly crooked ankle. Shit it was so much worse than he had thought.</p><p>Woozily he tosses the boot to one side and lays back down, letting his eyes flutter closed for a moment so he could take in the situation. Looking at the limb was making his stomach flip unpleasantly. </p><p>He doesn’t realise how long he lays still until the sudden sound of Phillip choking a gagging sound makes him nearly jolt out of his seat.</p><p>“P.T. JESUS CHRIST-“</p><p>“Phillip, I’m flattered but just P.T. is fine.”</p><p>The younger ignores the sass and instead gestures to his swollen foot in obvious frustration. “That. That is broken. Why would you continue the show with a broken ankle? I was ten feet away, you could have let me take over. Christ.”</p><p>Phineas lets his eyes drift to the wound again before shutting them once more in distaste. “Mm, it is rather unpleasant looking. In my defence, I didn’t know it was that bad.” He cracks open one eye again as Phillip throws a peanut at his head.</p><p>“You are insufferable. Why do I put up with you?”</p><p>Phineas smirks, raising a brow at the younger man. He knows exactly why.</p><p>--</p><p>Licking his index finger, he turns the page of his book slowly. Lounged on the office couch with his ankle bandaged and elevated by a chair, Phineas yawns and briefly tears his eyes away from the words on the page to glance at his pocket watch. </p><p>As if on queue, Phillip trots in with a cup of coffee and puts it down on the coffee table for him. </p><p>“You’d make a good maid. I think you have the legs for the outfit.”</p><p>Phillip gives him a look that could kill and plucks the book from his hands with his thumb and forefinger, putting it down on the desk just out of reach. “Don’t get used to it. Second you can walk again, there’ll be no more doting.”</p><p>Dramatically, Phineas throws a hand to his forehead and collapses back against the couch cushion. “Perhaps I shall never heal. I may never use this leg again. I will never know the love of dance again for as long as I live.”</p><p>Phillip crosses his arms, smug amusement clear in his features despite his attempts to look serious. “Barnum, someone could chop off both of your legs and you’d still find a way to dance.”</p><p>“Can’t deny that, but you don’t need to call me out.”</p><p>Phillip shakes his head fondly as he moves to grab a pile of paperwork, dumping it on Phineas’ lap. “Well until you’re back on your feet, these finance forms need catching up on. If you ever want to be able to afford me as a maid, you’re going to need to start making a whole lot more money than you currently do. I’m a luxury brand.”</p><p>“Oh joy.” Phineas mutters in lacklustre as he glances over a few of the forms unenthusiastically. “Working an injured old man to the bone, how heartless.”</p><p>“So you’ll admit that you’re old?”</p><p>“When it suits me.” </p><p>Phineas gives the younger man a playful wink and Phillip can’t help but chuckle as he turns to leave and continue leading rehearsals. “Heal up soon, P.T.”</p>
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